Meeting today's challenges

Planners and engineers are fixed on the challenges of bigger vessels and environmental controls as the main focus of port design over the next 10 years. Green issues, largely driven by public pressure on politicians and lawmakers, now account for up to 20% of project costs, compared with only 5% less than 10 years ago.

It's clear that some environmental measures are uneconomic but unavoidable, especially cold ironing, because of government and local authority mandates - the most extreme example is California's law on low sulphur within a 40 nautical mile zone.

Developers and operators mutter and moan, but accept the advice from planners and have taken the least costly way out by incorporating basic green facilities in designs for future use.

With the arrival of bigger ships comes more traffic, more cranes and more yard/warehouse/storage premises, which all translates into more congestion.

"The real driver in construction and design at the moment is the landside development, the interconnection between ships, road and rail," says Ed Schmeltz, senior vice-president of AECOM. "These are being made more efficient and expanded, so goods can be moved quickly through the yards and storage areas and avoid congestion. To achieve this, automation at terminal gates is being increased and terminals are operating at night, which didn't happen in the past."

For construction and design group Halcrow, automation is being taken seriously all over the world from Abu Dhabi to the US. Equipment suppliers are now even looking at a remote central control room in a building rather than individual operators on each quay crane - a significant enhancement when it comes to well being of the drivers and reduced strain on the neck and back," says Quentin Holland, sales manager - containers (North America and Caribbean) and senior project manager, Halcrow.

Predictably, given the continuing international economic woes, costs are being looked at much more closely by developers. "Even 10 years ago, costs were secondary to the need to tap into the market and get the vessels heading to your terminal," says an engineer. "Now, it's more a case of 'can we afford this, or can we find some other way or method?' There is more focus on comparing costs with similar port developments and seeing if they can be matched or bettered." 

Energy and fuel conservation makes up a big part of this and methods that were seen as little more than research projects with no commercial or practical value have jumped into reality. At some ports, especially cruise terminals, the rubbish accumulated during a voyage is being compacted and turned into diesel to power straddle carriers, says Mr Holland. LED lighting is becoming more common, and reefers are being better controlled at start up and during the cooling process. Forklifts can now recharge themselves during operations.

Says a veteran consulting engineer: "Everyone is prepared to pay more attention to details and nibble at the margins to get costs down; a consideration that was sadly lacking even 10 years ago. 'Build it and they will come' has been found to be void – if it was ever true."

Green considerations rank equally high on the list of requirements for new developments in the US.

PortsAmerica has shown considerable initiative in its Seagirt, Baltimore terminal, due to be in action in August 2012. Mark Montgomery, president of PortsAmerica Chesapeake, says an innovative stormwater drainage and management system has been devised to stop storm debris fouling up the harbour.

Cold ironing conduits have been built into the wharf construction, although the system has not yet been installed at the port. 

To some extent, bulk handling has fewer logistical constraints to worry about than container ports. Built to channel specific goods such as agricultural and mining products, they are often away from populated areas – Australia's western seaboard being a prime example. The one common concern is environmental control, otherwise it's a straight fight between market demand/price vs. port cost, coupled with engineering expertise and capability.

But the lines between the two are starting to blur. Says AECOM's Mr Schmeltz: "It's amazing how many traditionally bulk items are being containerised. Just recently bladders for olive oil have been developed to fit into containers. You can see this trend is going to continue."

Double-sided container lifting is one trend that the industry is uncertain about. Spearheaded by Amsterdam's indented berth, the method does indeed double the movement rate but comes at a price – double the wharf length and double the construction materials.

Ross Clarke, director of new terminal design and operations at APM Terminals, cautions developers to be very careful about plumping for double-side systems. "Terminal operators today make very sure they avoid over capacity."

Automation might seem an obvious solution in the quest for efficiency and throughput, but size does matter. Halcrow's Quentin Holland says the breakeven point is between 1.5m– 2m teu a year. "Apart from the infrastructure there is the software to consider, something that many people overlook. Installing and commissioning terminal operating systems can run into the tens of millions of dollars – which means it is not to be taken lightly."

When it comes to the world leaders in design, the verdict is in. Europe is at the top, although Asia is doing much better, while Virginia's APM Terminal in the US is "as good as it gets". In environmental considerations, the US is the winner, particularly the West Coast with cold ironing and restrictions on SOX and NOX.

And for a cash-rich port authority contemplating expansion, now is the time to get going on design. "the market is extremely competitive and consultants are looking for work," says a US consultant. "Fees are being slashed and extra work is being bundled into tenders with no extra cost."